Air-propulsion device.



Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

attorneys THE NORRIS PETERS 6a.. PHcTo-Llrria. WASHINGTON. D. L

THOMAS OBRIEN, F BROOKLYN, NEW

AIR-PROPULSION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

Application filed February 18, 1914. Serial No. 819,502.

i To all wiz 0m it may] concern Be it known that I, THOMAS OBnisiv, a citizen of the United btates, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Propulsion Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, v

This invention relates to air propulsion devices, and more particularly to that type wherein a quantity of air is imprisoned, and then, it is expanded to generate a pressure.

An object of thisinvention is to establish, I a pressure for propelling a quantity of air through an opening such as a shaft.

A further object of this invention is to actuate certain parts to imprison a quantity of air, then to subject this quantity of'air to heat to generate pressure and then to j in one of the chambers12, the piston in the liberate this heated airthrough a jet to create a draft through a shaft.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this class in which the action of the several parts is absolutely autoniatic.

Further objects of this invention will be apparent from the following specification, appended claims, and drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical section view through a stack or shaft, showing two units coupled for automaticoperation, and showing parts in elevation, Fig. is a horizontal sectional view through portions of the device, showing three units arranged about the shaft, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of portions of the device.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference numerals indicate similar parts throughout the views, there is shown a shaft or stack 10 which has its lower end adapted to receive air from any source, not shown, as for ventilating purposes, and this shaft has its upper end communicating with the atmosphere. This shaft has its interiorfree from obstructions, and in view thereof, air currents may pass freely therethrough to the atmosphere. To establish air currents in this shaft, jets 11 are disposed to direct blasts of air into the shaft at an angle, and these jets may be arranged about the shaft as desired. The jets 11 communicate with chambers 12 through valve controlled openings l3, and these chambers are intended to receive a quantity of air, to confine it within the chamber, then subject it to the action of a heating unit, when it'is' liberated through the openingsll. A valve 14 is mounted to.

slide in guides 15, and this valve controls the passage of air through the'opening 13, as well as through an air inlet 16, which communicates with the interior of the shaft as shown, or if so desired, withthe atmosphere. This valve has an opening 17 formed therein, which opening coincides with the opening 16 when the valve is slid to its lowest position, A stem depends from this valve, and passes through a stufling box 18 and this stem. 19. is secured to a piston 20,

which is mounted in a cylinder 21.

The cylinder of one unit has connection to the chamber 12 of another unit as by a tube 22, and if so desired, this tube may have a heating chamber 23 formed therein, in which is placed aheating coil 24. By this arrangement, when a pressure is generated chamber 12 is raised, and the valve actuated by the piston is alsoraised to close the valve I of the openings 13 and 16, to confine the column of air therein. As the piston 20 is raised, a stem-25 carried thereby, closes a circuit through contacts 26 and 27 and through the heating coils in circuit therewith. The expansion of air in the chainbers 12 and 23 will cause the piston of the connected unit to raise the valve to control the passage of air currents through the openings, but it is necessary that this valve be held in raised position until it is desired that it should fall. This is accomplished by having a trip carried by the piston 20 to engage a hook 29 carried by the stem 30,

which islcarried by a piston '31, in th'e'cylinder 32. This piston is normally pressed to engage the hook under the trip 28, as by a'spring 33, but in the connection of said cylinder to the chamber 12, it is apparent that when'suiiicient pressure is generated in the chamber 12, the spring33 yields, the

piston 81 moves'and disengages. the hook 29 from the trip 28, when the piston 20 and associated valve falls. As this valve falls, it first exposes the opening 13 when the pressure generated is liberated through this passage and is directed upwardly into the shaft.

Then, in its continued downward movement, the opening 17 coinc des with the opening 16 and. allows free passage of air into the cha nher 12, Where through the free passage in the upper end, a circulation is had. When the piston 20 rises, the stem closes the circuit through heating coils in the chamber and the corresponding heating chamber 23, and when it falls, the contacts 26 and 27 separate and break this circuit.

The operation of this device is as follows. Assuming that the valve in the chamber A has just been raised, the stem 25 closes the circuit through the heating coils in this chamber, and through the coil as in the chamber connected with the chamber A. The valve in the chamber B has just fallen and the contacts 26 and 27 have opened the circuit through the heating coils in this chamber. As the coils in the chamber r are heated, the air confined in the chamber 12 and expands, and continues to, until a portion of it has passed. into the cylinder 21 of the unit B, and until the pressure exerted by it overcomes the pressure of the spring 33 in the unit A, when the valve let in the unit A falls and liberates the compression. lVhen the piston 20 of the unit B is raised, a similar operation takes place in the unit B. When the valve in the unit, A. falls,'the circuit through the coils in the chamber thereof is opened and in the circulation of air through the inlet 16 and outlet 13, the coils cool quickly. It is evident that by coupling a number of these units so that each unit controls the action of thefolloiving one, a series may be had, or a number of seriesand one blast of air may be made to follow the preceding one in rapid sequence. Furthermore, the action of each unit is identical, and is influenced by another unit.

Modifications may be made Within the scope of this invention Without departing from the spirit thereof, and draivings are submitted "for illustrative purposes only.

Having thus described my invention, .1 claim 5 1. In a device of the class described, in combination with a shaft, chambers to receive a volume of air, a valve for confining said volume of air therein, a heating element for said volume of air, and means for automatically actuating said valve.

In a device or the class described, in combination with a stack, chambers to receive and confine a volume of air therein, means for raising the temperature of said volume of air to a predetermined degree, and automatic mechanism for releasing said volume of air through a directed course.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination with a shaft, chambers to receive a volume of air, a Valve for confining said volume of air in said chamber, a heating element for affecting the temperature of said volume of air, and a common means for controlling the movement of said valve and said heating element.

4,111 a device of the class described, in combination with a shaft, chambers to receive and confine a volume of air, a heat,

ing element for affecting the temperature of said volume of air, a valve for admitting and liberating said volume of air to or from said chambers, piston for actuating said valve, means for actuating said pistons for the chambers of other units, and a pressure control for efiecting the release of the volume of air from said chambers, for releasing said valves, and for controlling the effect of said heating element.

5. In a device ot the class described, chambers to receive volumes of air, valves for controlling access to, and exit from said chambers, pistons for controlling the action of said valves, said chambers and pistons formin separate units, the chamber of one. unit e "ecting the action of the piston of another unit, and a pressure control for each unit to effect the action of the piston and a heating element.

6.1n a device of the class described, chambers, cylinders, pistons, and. heating elements, a series ofunits comprising said chambers, cylinders, pistons and heating elements, a valve in each chamber, said valve having connection to a piston, a cylinder for each piston, the cylinder of each unit having connection with the chamber of another unit, a trip carried by each piston, said trip controlling the action of the heating element in each chamber, and a pressure control carried by each chamber for releasing the valve in each chamber when the interior is heated to a predetermined degree.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of tWO Witnesses.-

THOMAS OBRIEU. lVitnesses GEORGE L. Tnoar, HUGO Moon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents.

Washington, D. O. 

